Easy Theory

[Bret Roberts]

I love playing the mandolin and do so a lot for my own personal enjoyment. Taking old and new rock songs and picking out the chords in, I guess what is, an arpeggio. I was told it was a folk instrument so you can play it any way that makes you happy
I read this forum a lot and really don't have a clue when people talk of theory, chord structure, playing in a different key or anything.
Can any one recommend a downloadable EASY, basic, PDF (don't always have a computer) on music theory, so I can try to get my aging grey matter around this.
Tried searching myself but all seemed way out of my comprehension.
Thank you.

[HonketyHank]

You might want to check out the social group "Woodshed Study Group". We just started a series on introductory music theory based on a very inexpensive (but not free) pdf-format book by Bradley Laird*. The group is being led by Mark Gunter and there are several of us from the Newbies group participating. We are only about 10 pages into the book so far (three 'lessons') so it should not be difficult to catch up. And of course we all can help with questions as you do.

Mandolin Master Class, available for download at http://www.bradleylaird.com/mandou-site/buymmc.html (NFI)

[Simon DS]

Pickloser on this site has a good action packed pdf which you could maybe go through with a musician friend. You may be best, though, trying to keep to a structured learning course like Laird's. I really like Ted Eschliman's jazzmando.com myself, sort of puts the theory into your fingers, and one tip I would give is be very disciplined in your playing. For each rock song, figure out the key and write it down on an A 4 piece of paper. Then if you play even just ONE note that you didn't want to, stop the music go back write tab for how you wanted to play it, get the chord patterns from online guitar tab sites. And remember that to improve your age (10-20 years in some cases) play crosswords or sudoku, eat healthy, no alcohol, smoking, and get out walking, if you have any hills near you, that'll work! Good luck.

[RonEllison]

This might sound a bit old school, but maybe you could consider going out there and buying a book. Or buy one on ebay. Here in the UK there was one by a guy called Eric Taylor which I used to use to teach theory.

There are two different sorts of theory. The basic theory, in the UK they are the ABRSM levels 1 to 5, and advanced theory which gets taught in Universities and covers mind numbingly boring stuff like jazz theory. I imagine you are interested in the first. This covers basic understanding of music notation, major and minor scales, construction of triads and the general vocabulary of music and music notation. If you have been playing music for a long time the concepts and ideas in basic theory may well turn out to be familiar.

[PhilO]

Another Old School suggestion....."Music Theory for Modern Mandolin", by Thomas P. Ohmsen, is IMHO, a great resource; the copyright is 1982 and at almost 300 pages, will keep you quite busy for a while.

[Pete Martin]

Download my book "Easy Music Theory for Fiddle and Mandolin" here:

http://www.petimarpress.com/books.html

[Bret Roberts]

Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions. Time to hit the books

[farmerjones]

I googled Nashville numbering system and found this nice chart:

http://www.danwilt.com/the-nashville...art-for-bands/

Ones can play (chord along to) a few thousand songs & tunes if one knows I, IV, V, chords in a given key.

Indeed a chord arpeggio is as good as a chord if it's executed properly. (within the proper timing)

Another thing I found valuable was Solfe'ge. I.e. Doe-ray-me, etc. This is mostly for single notes. Obviously or not, a mandolin can be a melodic instrument just as easily as a harmony/chord instrument. For that matter it fits as a rhythm instrument as well.